What does The Pink Lady say?

Here's my number-so Call Me Baby... Maybe.

Sue Benson, Pinky Knows Naples (RE/MAX DREAM) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 01:57:53 -0800

Dating. The emotions run the gamet from fun to nerve racking. And it all starts with, "Here's my number." So what does dating have to do with real estate? Well, when it comes to choosing a Realtor and having a good realtionship, the two are very similar.So I'm going to give you 10 quick tips on'dating a Realtor. 1.) Call me baby! When you meet someone give them good contact information. We don't want to call the bad date number you give out to the weirdos. And double check what you've given us. We like the best number to reach you, the time to call you (we don't want to interupt you), and the email you check often.2.) Be honest. We are not looking for Mr. or Mrs. Perfect Buyer. We know times are tough and you can't afford the two hundred thousand dollar house on the 30 thousand dollar salary. We, also, know credit report scores are down. So don't tell us you are awesome and ready to go, if you can't afford it.We totally understand and are happy to show you houses in your price range!3.) Check me out, hot stuff! Do your research. Ok, I know you google the date you just had to make sure they are not wanted for crimes, so you should do the same with your Realtor. Check out your Realtor, do they have recommendations, a website, a good company name? Ask others if they know anyone, it's a great place to start. 4.) Be ready for our date! You do your primping to get ready for a date, so we ask the same. No, you don't need to get your nails done, but you do need to know how you are going to pay for your future home. Get yourself pre approved. Most sellers won't consider an offer in this economy without a lender letter.More than likely your Realtor can help you find one if you don't have a bank already. (Psst, some lenders are better than others with credit issues, so check out a couple.)And if you are paying cash, we need proof of funds, i.e., a letter from the bank, account statement etc.5) .We're not all easy! Showing homes isn't jump in the car and go. To do our job well we have to call realtors, who call sellers, get lockbox codes, map out directions..it's a process. So don't just expect us to drop everything and run out to show you something. We have to make plans, it's best for everyone involved. The more research we do to get ready for our date, the more questions we can answer for you later!6.) Don't stand us up. No one likes to be stood up, so don't leave us hanging. If you can't make an appointment, call us, text us, email us, but let us know. Nothing worse than standing at home and nobody to show it to! 7.) No stalking, please! When we call you, call us back. We don't want to leave you hanging, but we don't want to bug you either. So get in touch, it's the nice thing to do.8.) Don't cheat on me. Once we are in a realtionship, don't call another Realtor. Sure, you drive down the road, see a for sale sign and call the Realtor, just for information, you say. But why not call your Realtor first. Realtors from any agency (REMAX, Century 21, Local brokerage) , show houses for all the agencies, it only makes sense (dollar and cents too!). So before you call another one, call me baby!9.) We just don't do it for you. Sometimes, it just doesn't work out. We feel it too. So before we go to far in the process, let's just call it over. We don't want to hear it from someone else. The key is to let us know. Whether it's a call, text, email, whatever, drop us line and say you just don't think it's going to work, and let us know why. It's hard, I know, but we need to know otherwise we won't improve for our next customer.10.) In love? Tell the world! We want everyone to know how much you love us! It's how we get more business! Put it on the internet, tell a friend, whatever works best! We work hard for our money (at least most of us do), and we want you to know it and everyone else too! Sue Benson, aka, The Pink LadyRealtor/Reporter #pinkladyofrealestateREMAX Marketing Specialists727.410.1591

Polar Vortex blues?? 5 silly reasons to move to FL.

Sue Benson, Pinky Knows Naples (RE/MAX DREAM) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:18:00 -0800

Yes, I know I’m stating the obvious, it’s a bit frigid outside right now. And I do have on my fuzzy, they are ugly, but comfortable socks to keep me warm. However, just having returned from a trip to the Florida Keys for a week, I can’t help but be overly grateful for the famous Sunshine State. So to continue with the obvious observations, I’m here to give you five reasons to move to Florida and escape this crazy ‘polar vortex’, (not my term, thank the media). In order of importance according to me: 5.) We have palm trees. While the bark of the tree is just about useless (ask Gilligan) and the leaves provide no real shade on a hot, summer, day. These trees just bring us bliss. I think because just looking at these funny, skinny, waste of space trees makes us think of cocktails and fun vacations. In fact, I think I will go cover my nearest palm from the ‘freeze’ we are experiencing this evening. 4.) Cocktails. I am well aware they make cocktails all over the world, however, Florida mixes up the best, just ask Jimmy Buffett. And let’s face it, Sex on the Beach in a bar in Cleveland, Ohio at the end of December is only wishful thinking at best. No matter the season, a fun, frozen cocktail with a swirl of cream on top is best served on one of the world’s top beaches which the majority of are in, you guessed it, Florida. 3.) Fishing. Ok, I’m no fisherman or woman for that matter, however it doesn’t take a genius to figure out fishing in a state surrounded by water on three sides and swamp land throughout, is going to rock. I understand up north they have something called ice fishing. While it seems like a really great idea, to cover up in layers of clothing, cut a circle in a frozen lake and sit on some bench praying the ice doesn’t break and take you and everything else for a dip just to get a few fish, I somehow think a case of beer, a boat Captain Dave, and weather in the 70’s is the better choice. 2.) Convertibles. Straight out, these cars were made for places where the sun stays out during the winter months. Sure you get a great three months of top, down weather. Memorial day (if you are lucky) to Labor Day?? Wow, you’re living the car commercial. Even when our weather bites the big one, we know we can bundle up, blast radio Margaritaville, and put the top down. 1.) And here we are at number one reason Florida winters rock…our winter doesn’t touch your winter and we know it. Yes, we are complaining. Facebook is covered with pics of our dashboard temperatures, and kids bundled up, but here’s the silver lining in two days we will bounce back up to the 80’s. So yes I’m rubbing it in to all you northerners stuck inside and looking to hate us. But here’s the answer, interest rates are low, prices are still at a great deal, so #move to FL, and contact a great realtor, like, oh I don’t know, #pinkladyrealestate at # REMAX.

How is Jimmy Fallon like selling a house?

Sue Benson, Pinky Knows Naples (RE/MAX DREAM) — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 22:06:06 -0800

I’m not a late nighter.I’m the girl who DVR’s or catches the highlights during the Today show, but like most of the Generation X’ers I love me some Jimmy Fallon! And even though I still couldn’t stay up late for it ( I do have a small baby people) I did make sure to catch all his come upings this week. That said, a Facebook Friend, someone I don’t know in person and a social media celeb in her own right, Katie Lance, blogged about Mr Fallon and his five social media lessons. A great read and I encourage you to take a peek, but it inspired me to write my own five things I have learned from the one and only Jimmy Fallon and how they can relate to selling your house. I know, I know, how is Jimmy Fallon like selling a house? Sounds like a bad joke, but give me a minute and I think I can make you see We all like Jimmy and that’s his appeal. As Ms. Lance points out he is the every man. Someone you knew from college, or the guy that always brings a smile to your face. So when it comes to selling your home, you need to remember this lesson. 5.Be the every man home. In other words, make your home comfortable enough that anyone seeing your home could picture themself living there. For example, don’t show off all your family pictures, a few here or there are fine, but don’t overwhelm the buyer with visual noise. Walk around your home and think model home what do I want buyers to see and remember about my home. But while you want to be well liked you should stand out as well, just like the late night talk show host. Be humble about your home, but show off it’s great attributes. 4.Show off your assets. Jimmy knows where his talent lays, and he goes there and so should your home. Does your house have a great fireplace? Make it the centerpiece of your room! Is the kitchen pantry to die for? Well then, clean it up and show it off! And while we are on the topic of talent, we all know Mr. Fallon has it, but he does get a little help from his friends. He surrounds himself with others which want him to be as successful as he desires! So when it comes to getting your home sold, you should surround yourself with the best as well! 3. Pick a Realtor that really rocks!Seriously, find someone with the passion and the burning desire to sell your home. Does the real estate agent really seem interested in listing your home, or is just another home to them? What can they offer that another agent might not be able to? Jimmy Fallon has been the talk of the town this week. He had the water cooler hopping and everyone was thirsty for more. He did this by keeping his guest list interesting and high demand. You can do this by having a successful blast off of your home on the MLS. 2.Be ready to be awesome.So you may not have Justin Timberlake in your guest room, but you need to make your home look like he may be stopping by. In other words, before your house hits the market, cut the shrubs, paint the living room, store all the extra stuff you don’t use on a daily basis, and get your home show ready. Who knows maybe J.T. will stop by! And finally the number one reason why Jimmy Fallon rocks at his job, as well as Ms. Lance, …they own the social media world.. 1. Put it out there. Be the social king or queen with the selling of your home. Make sure you and your Realtor, text it, tweet it, put it on Facebook, instragram and pin it! Jimmy and his crew are constantly out there with their show highlights, teases and must see moments…and so should your house. Treat it like the celebrity it is and make it become a star around town that everyone wants to see. Sue Benson, a.k.a. The Pink Lady of Real Estate REMAX MARKETING SPECIALISTS SPRING HILL FL suebensonremax@gmail.com #pinkladyofrealestate